Positioning tool for electrical components



Nov. 23, 1965 J. V. FISHER POSITIONING TOOL FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS Filed Jan. 10, 1963 'Ill IIIIIII/l m 'In VIII/III.

I60 32a 24a INVENTOR. Jul/cm V Fisher ATTORNEY United States Patent PUSHTTUNTNG TGQL FQR ELECTRICAL CGMiPQNlENTS This invention relates to a control device, more particularly, it contemplates an insulated positioning tool suitable for use as a manual adjusting means in conjunction with a variable inductance. Such items are normally found in television and radio circuitry.

Theretofore, the industry has utilized adjusting components which were engageable with a magnetizable core capable of movement within flux inducing coils, as is well known in the art, but which requires the placing of stresses of either a radial or compressive nature on the core material. Since the cores are of a fragile nature, a great deal of breakage resulted from the use of such prior adjusting components.

it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an insulated positioning tool for movement of a flux control core within an inductive device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a one piece plastic control member having means for rapid assembly with a ferrite or carbon core and having means for cooperating with said core to induce or provide movement of said core within the flux inducing means.

Still another object is to provide a one piece insulated control member which can be economically fabricated and readily assembled With a core and is also capable of ready removal therefrom by a skilled technician but which normally will be destroyed it removed by the consumer.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the specification is read in conjunction with the attached drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a primary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in elevation of a control rod of the type shown in FIG. 1 with a core and coil wound tubular means prior to assembly;

FIG. 3 is an elevation in partial section showing a control rod during its insertion within the core bore;

FIG. 4 is an elevation in partial section of the same embodiment in final assembled relationship;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the elevation in partial section of the hook end of the control rod showing the cooperation with the core and prevent-ing removal of the rod from the core;

PEG. 6 is a secondary embodiment of the invention shown in elevation;

FIG. 7 is an elevation in partial section showing the deformation of the retaining member of the embodiment of FIG. 6 during insertion in a core bore; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation in partial section showing the embodiment of HG. 6 in final assembled relation with the variable inductor.

Referring now to the drawings, a positioning tool or adjustment means Til includes handle means 12, a first rod like portion 14 extending integrally from the handle means 12, a second portion 16 adapted to engage the interior bore of a core and retaining or locking means 18 positioned at the extremity of the rod opposite the handle T2.

The positioning tool lit) is specifically adapted to engage a core 22 made of magnetizahle material, such as carbon containing ferrite, with the core 22 being acceptable within an inductive means 26. The inductive means 26 is basically a tube 28 having coil means 27 wound in insulated fashion along its axial extent. Suitable connecting means 30 tap into the various junction points of the coils 27. While the illustrative embodiments disclose a plurality of coils it is to be understood that the device contemplated can be used equally effectively with a single inductive coil wound around an insulated tube. The electronic circuitry does not bear on the inventive concept set forth.

The handle 12 can be knurled as at 20 to provide suitable means for grasping the handle during manual manipulation thereof. The first portion T4- is preferably reduced in section to provide adequate clearance between the components within which the control rod 10 is associated. In addition, a reduction of the external diameter of first portion 14 results in a saving of material and hence, an increase in economy of manufacture.

The second portion To is adapted to be accepted within the bore 24 of the core 22. Second portion 16 and the bore 24 are complementary in cross sectional configuration and in the present instance, are non-circular or hexagonal. Other suitable geometric configurations are equally acceptable. In the present instance, however, the core 22 is threaded on its exterior and adapted to be accepted within tube 28 having internal thread means positioned coaxially of the inductive means 26. Rotation of the positioning tool It will transmit said rotation through the non-circular second portion 16 to core 22.

The retaining means 13, positioned at the end of the rod remote from the handle 12, is basically a hook shaped device. The means 18 includes a reduced portion or extension 32 which is an axial continuation of the second portion 16 and a reversely bent resilient hook means The extension 32 on its outer or bottom surface, as seen in the drawings, has a cross sectional configuration identical to the related segment of second portion to, in the present instance, semi-hexagonal. The hook 34- on its upper or outer surface, as seen in the drawing, is provided with a ridge or semi-hexagonal surface which when the hook 34 is depressed in the recess provided by the reduced cross sectional area of 32, in relation to the second portion 16, will generally form a substantially complementary continuation of said second portion 16. Thus, when the core 22 is axially telescoped over the retaining means 18 the hook portion 34 will be resiliently epressed, as best seen in FIG. 3, and will be complementally accepted within bore 24. The first portion 14 has a diameter substantially greater than the second portion 16 and is preferably reduced in diameter adjacent to the second portion 16, as indicated by the numeral 36, so as to provide a shoulder 38.

When the hook portion 34 has traversed the entire bore of core 22, the resilient hook will spring upwardly and engage one end of the core 22. Axial movement of the rod 10 in the direction of the arrow A as seen in FIG. 4 results in a slight stressing in the hook 34. As can be best seen in the expanded view in FIG. 5, the attempts to remove the rod from the core by acting against the hook 34 causes the hook 34 to depress the extreme end of the extension 32 in such a fashion as to create a secondary abutment or shoulder do on the outer surface of the extension 32. Movement of the rod in the direction opposite to arrow A will result in the engagement of the opposite end face of the core with the shoulder 38. Since first portion 14 of the rod has a greater diameter than the non-circular portion 16 which is complementary to the bore 24-, movement of the rod in this direction is limited. Preferably, the dimension of the combined lengths of reduced portion 3a and the noncircular portion 116 is greater than the axial length of the core 22 providing axial play in the rod whereby the hook 34 is enabled to function smoothly during insertion and expansion.

The rod It can be removed from the core by either feeding the core entirely out of the tube 28 in the direction of the arrow A or alternatively, by feeding in the opposite direction until such time as the hook 34 is exposed so that it can be manually depressed into the recess formed by the reduced cross section of extension 32 and thence axially Withdrawn from the bore 24 in a reverse direction fashioned from the insertion shown in FIG. 3. This procedure assumes, of course, that tube 28 has been made accessible by removal from the circuitry.

A control rod of the type contemplated by this invention is preferably fabricated of a resilient thermoplastic dielectric material, such as nylon, in a simple two plate injection mold.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown In FIGS. 68 wherein similar numerals will be utilized to designate similar parts. The rod 10a includes at one end a coin like handle 12a, a first portion 14a, a second portion 16a and retaining means 180. In this embodiment there is provided, intermediate first and second portions 14:: and 1611, a third portion 49. The outer surface of portion 40 is screw threaded while second portion 16a is circular in cross sectional configuration, for purposes best set forth hereinafter.

The retaining means 18a in this embodiment has a hooklike portion 34a integrally attached at the extremity of the reduced segmental extension 32a. In addition, the retaining means 18a is provided with a continuation on hook 34a on the opposite side of its junction with its reduced portion 32a. This continuation 42 when taken in combination with hook 34a forms a toggle-like retaining means 18:1.

The variable inductor 26a, in the present instance, is provided with a tubular liner 28a having a smooth cylindrical through bore. Similarly, the core 22a is unthreaded and cylindrical on its exterior surface and is provided with a cylindrical bore 24a passing through its entire length.

At one end of the tube 28a a sheet metal nut 44- of known configuration is mounted. It is adapted to complementally engage the threaded portion 40 of the control rod.

To facilitate assembly of the rod ltia and core 22a the control rod ltla is telescoped through the threaded nut 44 until the retaining means 18a extends beyond the opposite end of the tube 28a. The core 22 is then telescopically associated with the rod by the resilient depression of the hook 34a and the elevation of the toggle portion 42, as best seen in FIG. 7, and axially moved along the rod ltla until the retaining means 18a has traversed the bore 24a. The toggle-like retaining means 18a then springs back to substantially its initial condition.

With the core 22a positioned on the cylindrical portion 16: a rotation of the control rod 1011 results in axial movement due to the interaction of threads 40 and the nut 44. The core 22a is free to rotate or to remain stationary during its axial movement within the tube 280. The threaded portion 44) is of substantially greater diameter than the first and second portions 14a and 16a respectively to provide clearance of the first and second portions through nut 44, and hence, provides a shoulder means 38a at its juncture with the core supporting second portion 16a. Movement of the control rod 10a in the direction opposite to the arrow B results in an engagement of shoulder means 38:: with one end face of the core and slides same axially Within the tube 28a relative to the coil means 27a. Movement of the control rod in the direction of the arrow B results in an engagement of the hook means 34a with the opposite end face of the core. This force against hook 34a results in a depression of its opposite end or toggle 42 downwardly against the inner surface of the tube 23a. This creates a drag on the tube surface and acts dually as feel to the manipulator of handle 12a and as an impositive locking means for the accurate axial positioning of the core 22a.

This embodiment can be fabricated from any suitable resilient dielectric material in the same fashion as the first embodiment.

The invention, described hereinbefore, discloses an improved dielectric control rod of a simplified one piece construction which can be economically fabricated and is highly amenable to mass production assembly methods which are prevalent in the electronics trade. While easily assembled, its removal is restricted except under controlled conditions. It can be readily removed by a skilled technician who has disassembled a portion of the set, by the manual depression of the locking means. A straight axial pull on the device by the uninstructed will result in the destruction of the locking means. The two embodiments set forth are illustrative of these principles but are not deemed to be limiting. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art but it is my intent that be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

El. A one piece positioning tool for use with variable inductance means having adjustable core means positioned within a tube supporting insulated coil wound means on the outer circumference of said tube comprising an elongated dielectric rod-like positioning tool having handle means at one extremity, retaining means at the opposite extremity, said core having a complementary bore throughout its length adapted to accept said tool within said bore, said retaining means adapted to be resiliently compressed during insertion of the tool within the bore and adapted to engage the opposite end of the core when the tool has traversed the bore of the core and threads on the outer circumference of said core cooperating with the inside of said tube and adapted to axially adjust said core within said tube supporting the surrounding coil means upon rotation of said handle means, said tool having a portion intermediate the extremity of said tool which is noncircular in section, said bore of the core being complementary to said noncircular portion.

2. A device of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means at the extremity opposite the handle means includes a hook-like portion attached to an extension integral with and lesser in cross sectional area than the noncircular portion of the tool, said extension providing a recess where the hook-like portion when collapsed during insertion within the core bore can be accepted and will ostensibly conform to the complementary con figuration of the bore.

3. A device of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein said rod-like positioning tool includes stop means positioned intermediate and spaced from the extremities of said tool for engaging one end of said core while said retaining means engages the opposite end of said core.

4-. A device of the type claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining means includes a reduced integral extension of lesser cross sectional area than the remainder of the tool and radially offset at the extremity opposite the handle means forming a recess, a reversely extending hook-like element integral with the extremity of the reduced extension and normally extending beyond an imaginary surface coextensive with the surface of the tool, said hook-like element being acceptable within the recess so as to be complementally accepted Within the core bore during telescopic assembly of the tool therewith, said hook-like element adapted to return to its normal position after it has traversed the core bore and engages the end face of the core on one side of the core axis, the reduced extension adjacent its extremity being adapted to be bent downwardly below an imaginary surface coextensive with the surface of the core bore whereby said extension engages the same end face of the core but on the opposite side of the core axis when said hook-like portion is stressed by an axial force exerted on said tool in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Hogan 81--71 Hall 29265 Colley 29246 Lang 8171 Bishop 29-280 6 2,766,515 10/1956 Wise 29280 2,917,954 12/1959 Capella 813 2,995,812 8/1961 Bates 29203 3,100,931 8/ 1963 Barnes 29-203 WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Examiner. 

1. A ONE PIECE POSITIONING TOOL FOR USE WITH VARIABLE INDUCTANCE MEANS HAVING ADJUSTABLE CORE MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN A TUBE SUPPORTING INSULATED COIL WOUND MEANS ON THE OUTER CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID TUBE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED DIELECTRIC ROD-LIKE POSITIONING TOOL HAVING HANDLE MEANS AT ONE EXTREMITY, RETAINING MEANS AT THE OPPOSITE EXTREMITY, SAID CORE HAVING A COMPLEMENTARY BORE THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH ADAPTED TO ACCEPT SAID TOOL WITHIN SAID BORE, SAID RETAINING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE RESILIENTLY COMPRESSED DURING INSERTION OF THE TOOL WITHIN THE BORE AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE OPPOSITE END OF THE CORE WHEN THE TOOL HAS TRAVERSED THE BORE OF THE CORE AND THREADS ON THE OUTER CIRCUMFERENCE OF SAID CORE COOPERATING WITH THE INSIDE OF SAID TUBE AND ADAPTED TO AXIALLY ADJUST SAID CORE WITHIN SAID TUBE SUPPORTING THE SURROUNDING COIL MEANS UPON ROTATION OF SAID HANDLE MEANS, SAID TOOL HAVING A PORTION INTERMEDIATE THE EXTERMITY OF SAID TOOL WHICH IS NONCIRCULAR IN SECTION, SAID BORE OF THE CORE BEING COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID NONCIRCULAR PORTION. 